Langevin's Train-the-Trainer Blog

According to The Center for Generational Kinetics, the current workforce may include four to five generations depending on the specific workplace. Research suggests that each generation brings with them a specific set of values, ideas, and learning styles. Here are the birth years for each generation:

One of the most common complaints I hear from instructional designers is about content requiring constant updates. Examples and “how to” instructions in the course materials may need to be revised at the last minute. This is more often a challenge for instructional designers who design technical content but all instructional designers deal with this challenge at one time or another. Even interpersonal and conceptual content can change at the last minute!

The goal of training is to have our learners retain the knowledge and skills they’ve gained in training so they can apply them back at the workplace. This concept is often referred to as “training transfer.” As corporate trainers, we need to ensure this transfer of knowledge and skill takes place by delivering content and facilitating classes in ways that maximize learner retention.

What do you do when you’re preparing to facilitate a training session and the materials you’ve been given by the instructional designers feel a bit dull and boring? Here are three strategies to spice things up and deliver an engaging and interactive learning experience!

I recently attended a Broadway musical that relied heavily on audience participation. It was such an interactive and engaging experience, that I’ll never forget it! It got me thinking about how audience engagement is a key element for both playwrights and instructional designers.

My dear friend and colleague, Melissa, is coming to my new home in Atlanta for a visit! We don’t get to see each other very often so I cherish our time together. She has become such a great friend over the years and was even a bridesmaid at my wedding. When we’re together, people ALWAYS ask if we’re sisters—once we were even asked if we were twins!

Recently, I bought a craft for me and my 3-year-old daughter to do together. It was recommended for her age so I thought, “This shouldn’t be too hard.” After pulling out all of the pieces and looking at the instructions, I realized this WAS going to be hard! The instructions only had four pictures which implied there were only four steps to this craft. By the time we got to the second picture, we were lost!

Have you ever run through an airport to catch a connecting flight, heart pounding, chest heaving, only to end up missing it? If so, then you can relate to not having enough buffer time to get from one airport gate to the next. This experience recently happened to me—I made my flight, but it was too close for comfort and I was so frustrated that the airline hadn’t allowed for enough buffer time.

At Langevin we define training as “giving people the knowledge and skills required to do their current job.” There’s been a lot of research on the history of training and development, and a quick internet search can provide you with a detailed account of how training people to do their jobs has evolved over time. The history of training is quite interesting.

We can all relate to the constant chatter and distractions we encounter in our daily lives. One of those necessary distractions that has out-smarted us all, is our smart phone! Just like the American Express commercial says, “Don’t leave home without it.” And we see how everyone is forever connected to their phones.